Young Researchers Forum “Got PhD, What Next?”

10:00-10:30

Welcome & Introduction

Dr. Tich-Lam Nguyen
Chief Operating Officer, ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies

10:30-12:00

Careers in Academia Session

Dr. Anton Tadich

Senior Scientist, Australian Synchrotron

Dr Anton Tadich is a Senior Scientist at the Soft X-ray Beamline. Anton has over 15 years’ experience in synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopy, surface science techniques and ultra-high vacuum instrumentation. He received his PhD in Physics in La Trobe University in 2008 and joined the
Australian Synchrotron in the same year.

Anton has worked with his beamline colleagues and external collaborators in expanding the capabilities of the beamline to cater for contemporary materials of interest in the condensed matter physics community such as 2D materials.

Anton is also an Honorary Lecturer in the Physics Department at La Trobe University, where he contributes towards coursework for a Master’s level subject on synchrotron science. Anton is also a Partner Investigator of FLEET.

Dr. Alison Funston

ARC Future Fellow, Senior Lecturer, School of Chemistry, Monash University

Dr. Alison Funston received her PhD in Chemistry in 2002 from the University of Melbourne. She joined Brookhaven National Laboratory as a research associate between 2003-2006. Coming back to Australia, Alison joined the the University of Melbourne as a Research Fellow, working on energy and electron
transfer in chemical systems.

Alison received one of the 2009 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards, which aims to recognise the achievements of Australia’s outstanding young scientific researchers and communicators.

Since 2010, she joined Monash University as a lecturer in the School of Chemistry. Alison is also a Capability Leader in the newly funded ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx).

A/Prof. Nikhil Medhekar

Senior Lecturer, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Monash University

Currently, Nikhil is also a Chief Investigator of FLEET.

Academic Panel Discussion

12:00-13:00

Lunch Break

13:00-14:30

Careers in Research Management Session

Dr. Yeshe Fenner

Chief Operating Officer (COO), ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav)

Dr. Yeshe Fenner has a PhD in Astrophysics from Swinburne University and undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University before spending the past decade in project and program management roles in sectors ranging from astronomical infrastructure to biomedical research.

As COO of OzGrav, Yeshe’s role is to coordinate the strategic, operational, financial, logistic and administrative activities of the Centre across all its locations.

Dr. Chanh Tam Nguyen

Research Strategist & Facilitator, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

Dr. Tam Nguyen is an experienced research administrator with previous clinical research experience in biomedical engineering at numerous teaching hospitals and medical research institutes across Australia.

In the current role as a senior executive of research at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, he is responsible for research strategy, business development and administration. He has a double degree in Biomedical Engineering, a PhD in Biomechanics and an MBA in general management.

Tam is an Adjunct Associate Professor at RMIT University and an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Tam recently co-founded an investment fund supporting Australian biotech and medtech start-ups.

Dr. Angeline Achariya

CEO, Food Innovation Centre, Monash University

Dr. Angeline Achariya is a senior executive with over 15 years experience in FMCG, Food service channels having ommercialized over 800 innovations in Asian and ANZ markets.

She has worked in Blue chip multinational companies (MARS, Fonterra, YUM! Brands, Mondelez International), small business (Mrs Crocketts), consultancy. Angeline’s credentials include: BSc (Honours) Food Technology, PhD Food Systems, Grad cert food business management, Graduate Australian Institute
of Company Directors, Member (AIFST).

Angeline also is a highly sought after innovation speaker at national and international innovation conferences/workshops on innovation leadership/management and export pathways to Asia.

Research Management Panel Discussion

14:30-15:00

Afternoon Tea

15:00-16:30

Careers in Industry Session

Dr. Richard Huysmans

Consultant, Raven Consulting Group

Dr Huysmans undertook his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, before turning his hand to research strategy and program development. In 2008, he established Raven Consulting Group. As a consultant, he delivers high quality strategic advice to the education, research and government sectors.

As a research strategist, Richard is an expert in helping researchers get the best out of their training, their research and their career. He has a 70% grant success rate and a 100% success rate for establishing research centres and institutes.

Dr. Monika Fekete

Coffee Scientist, Australian Coffee Science Lab, Monash University

Monika is a chemical scientist with a strong interest in the commercial application of research outcomes.

With a degree in chemical engineering, Monika moved from Hungary to Australia to pursue internships at the CSIRO and a following PhD in chemistry at Monash University. Her passion for both science and Melbourne’s famous coffee scene have resulted in an unique combination: Monika launched Coffee Science Lab in 2016, the first independent business in Australia solely dedicated to providing scientific consultation to coffee professionals.

Monika is also currently involved in other projects related to coffee, food and science: as part of the School of Chemistry’s Food and Agriculture Innovation Agenda, she works on presenting unique Monash research capabilities to industry clients. She is the co-founder of a high-tech coffee startup mentored by Melbourne Uni’s competitive Velocity program.

Dr. Alexe Bojovschi

CEO at Academy of Innovative Business (AIB), Innovation & IT director, International Innovation Research Network (iiRNet), Real time analytics and RADAR Sensor Networks, Research Staff, RMIT University

Alexe Bojovschi is the CEO of Academy of Innovative Business, the Innovation & IT Director of International Innovative Research Network and Honorary Professor at Amity University. He is currently also leading a defence based digital signal processing radar sensor network project and contributes to technology innovation within RMIT University.

He holds a bachelor in Physics, a master in Medical Physics and a Ph.D. in Computational Science from the School of Information and Communication Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology.

Prior to finishing his Ph.D, he’s spent six months as a Research Intern at Victoria Partnership for Advanced Computing. Subsequently he joined RMIT University where he worked on an Australian Discovery Grant, with power companies such as AusNet and EMCPacific and defence organizations such as Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation and American Airforce Laboratories on power network and avionic sensing technologies.

Later on he joined IBM Australia as a Research Staff. His research work led to breakthrough innovations in power networks, which led to IND-technology Company, RADAR technologies for avionic platforms and Flotation technologies for Mining and eWaste sector. He holds 9 international patents, published in numerous highly ranked journals and appeared on media channels such as the ABC Science Show and Australian Science. His main interest is in technology and business innovation.

Industry Panel Discussion

16:30-17:00

Networking